AVALANCHE SURVIVAL

With winter just around the corner, I’m told it already snowed in the high-country of Colorado, Avalanche Safety tips are on my mind. I wanted to quickly mention a segment I shot with Keith McCord of KSL TV in Salt Lake City last winter. The interview contains some cutting edge gear that just might save your life this winter in the backcounrty. Here is the news segment.

The winter before we worked on spreading avalanche education. Here is an additional segment you may want to check out.

Let’s check some basics and some facts.

THE BASICS –

1.    Noise does NOT trigger avalanches.
2.    In 90% of all avalanche accidents, the victim or someone in the victim’s party triggers the slide.
3.    Avalanches are only natural hazard commonly triggered by the victim.
4.    Dry slab avalanches account for almost all avalanche accidents. A dry slab avalanche is a cohesive plate of dry snow that fractures as a unit & then breaks apart as it slides – like a pane of glad sliding off an inclined table.
5.    Avalanches do not strike without warning. They happen in particular places due to specific combinations of snow & weather conditions. There are almost always obvious signs that these conditions exist.

THE STATISTICS –

1.    99.9% of avalanche accidents occur in the backcountry – bowls, peaks & slopes outside of ski areas – areas w/ no avalanche control.
2.    As of 8/19/08 –
a.    US FATALITIES – 36
b.    CANADA FATALITIES – 16
c.    TOTAL – 52
3.    In the US, last 10 winters, average of 25 people have died in avalanches every year.
a.    COLORADO SPECIFIC –
i.    Since 1950 – Colorado has the infamous reputation for being home to about 1/3 of the total avalanche related fatalities recorded.
4.    ¾ of victims die from asphyxiation – breathing their own carbon dioxide. ¼ victims die from trauma caused by hitting trees & rocks on the way down. Only 2% live long enough to die from hypothermia.
5.    Nearly 2x as many snow mobilers are killed in avalanches than any other group of recreationist. Snow mobilers can not only go any place a skier & go, but they can cover 100x the amount of terrain in a day as a skier.
6.    A typical dry snow avalanche travels around 60 – 80mph.
a.    Reaches these speeds within 5 seconds after it fractures.
b.    Have been recorded up to 150mph.
7.    Back country enthusiasts have been killed by slabs ranging from a few inches to more than 30 feet.

SEASON –

1.    December – April = when most occur.
a.    Avalanche fatalities have been recorded for every month of the year.
b.    90% of all avalanches start on open slopes of 35-40 degrees.
c.    ½ occur on small slopes, less than 300 vertical feet.
i.    Some documented on slopes less than 40 vertical feet.

PREPARATION –

1.    Research/Internet –
a.    Knowing avalanche danger for area
b.    Knowing previous days’ snow fall.
c.    Knowing how to check for unstable snowpack.
2.    EQUIPMENT!
3.    Knowing who your friends are – PRACTICE W/ EQUIPMENT! (Shovel, Beacon and Probe) and Spot Unit.
4.    ON LOCATION
a.    Is the slope deep enough to slide. - Angle, shape, history of slope

WHAT To Do If You Get Caught –

1.    GET OFF SLAB!
a.    Ski/Snowboarder – Head downhill, then angle to side off slab.
b.    Snowmobile – USE TORQUE & POWER! Head across slope, until off slab…if headed downhill at time – only hope is to OUT RUN!!
2.    Grab a Tree –
a.    ¼ avalanche victims die from trauma from hitting trees & rocks on way down.
b.    ENTRAINED – articles captures in avalanche that hit you at that speed.
3.    SWIM – human body is 3X denser than avalanche debris & tends to sink unless swimming.
4.    Put hand up at settling.
5.    Clean air space in front of mouth.

SEARCH & RESCUE –

1.    1st death in 07-08 season = Nov 27, 2007, CANADA, Dec 2, 2007, USA
2.    93% of avalanche victims can be recovered alive if they are dug out w/in first 15 minutes.
a.    ½ of all completely buried avalanche victims die w/in first 25 minutes.
b.    After 45 minutes, only 20 – 30% recovered alive.
c.    95% dead within first 2 hours!!
MYTHS –

1. “Loud Noises Trigger Avalanches”

Noise does NOT trigger avalanches. Noise is simply not enough forces unless it’s EXTREMELY loud noise such as an explosive going off at close range. In 90% of avalanche fatalities, the avalanche is triggered by the weight of the victim, or someone in the victim’s party.

2. “An avalanche is a bunch of loose snow sliding down the mountain”

Avalanche professionals call these “sluffs.” Loose snow avalanches account for only a very small percentage of deaths & property damage. Dry slabs account for the majority of avalanches.

3. Avalanches “strike without warning”

Avalanches almost always have obvious signs. Second, avalanches don’t “strike.” They happen at particular times & in particular places for particular reasons. In 90% of all avalanche accidents, the avalanche is triggered by the victim, or someone in the victim’s party. Natural avalanches occur b/c new or windblown snow overloads weak-layers or b/c of rapid warming, but there’s almost always obvious signs of instability by the time avalanches come down on their own.

4. “If you see an avalanche coming, get out of the way”

An average-sized dry avalanche travels around 80mph & it’s nearly impossible for someone to outrun an avalanche or even have time to get out of the way. A fast snowmobile has some chance but everyone else has a slim chance at best. Avalanches that descent from above kill very few people.

5. “Spit to see which way is up”

It doesn’t matter which way is up. You can’t dig yourself out of avalanche debris. It’s like you are buried in concrete. Take it from me!

We owe a SPECIAL thanks to Avalanche.org and Snow Sense, the best book on the topic and NSIDC.org.